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FAQ Friday – alternatives to Apple Store repairs

Here at TapSmart, we get asked a lot of tech questions each week – and many of the questions crop up time and time again. So every other Friday, we’ll be answering a Frequently Asked Question right here in a bid to help a bunch of you in one fell swoop!

Today’s question: My iPhone needs fixing but I don’t live near an Apple Store!

Apple’s famous “Genius Bar” offers great customer service when your devices are broken, but Apple Stores can get very busy – not to mention that if you don’t live in a major city, you might not have one nearby.

Luckily, over the last year Apple has massively increased the number of “Apple Authorized Service Providers” around the world, especially in the US. That means there are a large number of other places, including Best Buy, where you can get Apple-certified repairs.

It’s also worth noting that Apple can often perform repairs by post. That way you don’t have to travel anywhere at all, though it can be considerably slower once you factor in shipping times.

Regardless of which method you want, your first port of call should always be Apple’s official support website, found at support.apple.com.

From here, choose iPhone (or any other device you need fixed) and then press Repair Options. This page has links to all the details you need – follow through the instructions and answer any questions that pop up. The website will help you book an appointment with the nearest authorized repair location, or organize to send your device in.

If you want to speak with someone from Apple Support before deciding what to do, that can be arranged from this website too! Repairs can often be expensive, but they’re easy to organize and if it saves you buying an entirely new iPhone they’re certainly worth it!